Ladder support



C. W. MARRINER sept. 15, 1942.'

LADDER SUPPORT Filed Sept. `24, 1941 lINVENTOR.

Patented Sept. 15, 1942 i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LADDER SUPPORT Clair W. Marriner, Chicora, Pa. Application September 24, 1941, Serial No. 412,184

6 Claims.

This invention relates to a device for supporting ladders on peaked roofs and other structures. Heretofore considerable diiculty has been eX- perienced in placing a ladder on a roof of high pitch, it having been necessary rst to climb to the ridge of the roof and then attach the ladder so that it would be firmly mounted on the roof.

An object of the present invention is to provide a device which can be attached to one end of a ladder and pushed upwardly until the ridge of the roof is reached whereby the attached device can be adjusted to straddle the ridge, thus leaving the ladder securely joined to the ridge so that the user can ascend on ,the ladder and use it in his Work without danger ofy the structure slipping out of position.

Another object is to provide a device of this character which, after being placed in position as stated, can be provided withanother ladder extending downwardly at the other side ofv the ridge', whereby work on the roof can be carried on simultaneously at opposite sides of the ridge.

A still further object is to provide a means such as described which can be operated readily from the lower edge of the roof to release the ladder and permit its withdrawal from position on the roof.-

Another object is to provide a ladder support which, when pushed in or pulled from position will not scar or the roof.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention lconsists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

otherwise injure the surface of In the accompanying drawing the preferredV form of the invention has been shown.

In' said drawing Figure 1 is a side elevation of the ladder sup-V port adjusted to straddle the ridge of a roof, portions of ladders being shown attached thereto,

one of the positions of the adjustable member of the support being indicated by broken lines.

Figure 2 is a front perspective view of the ladder holder as viewed from the right in Fig. 1, po-

sitions of the rungs of a supported ladder being indicated by broken lines. I

Figure 3 is a central vertical section through a portion of the drum and adjacent parts of the ladder support, said section being on an enlarged scale.

Figure 4 is an enlarged section on line 4 4, Figure 1.

Figure 5 is an Figure 1.

enlarged section on line 5-5,

channel and are located Y screw has an integral Figure 6 is an Figure 1 Referring to the gures by characters of refence, I designates the main leg of the ladder support, vhe saine being formed preferably of sheet metal bent to produce a longitudinally channeled structure having inturned flanges 2 at its side edges as shown particularly in Fig. 6. Angular plates 3 are seated in this member at desired distances apart and carry clamping bolts 4 which, in turn, engage the end portions of clamping plates 5. These parts are so located and proportioned that they can be used for engaging the rungs R of a ladder L so as to hold one end portion of the ladder securely to the leg I as shown for example in Fig. l.

That end of the leg I remote from the clamping plate 5 is offset at an obtuse angle as shown at 6 so as to constitute means for straddling the adjustable leg 'l of the ladder holder, this leg being attached enlarged section on line 6 6,

Fig. 5 and the side edge of the channel can be inturned as at 9 and provided with flanges I0 on the inturned portion which are parallel and extended toward the bottom wall of the leg. Spaced slots II are provided in the sides of the Where they can receive rungs R of another ladder L and for the purpose of holding these rungs in the slots, a retaining rod I2 is adapted to be positioned across the rungs. One end of this rod is bent at an angle, as shown at I3 and pivotally mounted in the leg 'I as at I4. The other end of the rod is screw-threaded as at I5 for engagement by a nut I6 and a holding plate I'I having a Iiange I8 at one edge is adapted to be pressed against one end of the leg so that the ange I8 will extend under the anges I0. Thus when the parts are tightened the rod I2 will be held securely in place and it becomes impossible to accidentally disconnect the rungs R from the adjustable leg 1.

The pivot pin 8 is located inwardly from but adjacent to that end'of the leg 'I remote from the rod I2, thereby to divide the leg I into a long arm a and a short arm b. The free end of the short arm has a nut I 9 pivotally mounted therein, there beingtrunnions 26 or'the like extending from the nut and journalled in the sides of the leg l, This nut is engaged by a screw 22. The

stem 23 at one end mounted for rotation in a sleeve 24, said stem being held against withdrawal from the sleeve by a pin 25 seated in an annular groove 26 in the stem, said pin being supported at its ends in the sleeve. The sleeve is pivotally mounted at 28 upon the leg I and has a stub shaft 29 extending at a right angle therefrom on which a drum 3Q is mounted for rotation. A beveled gear 3I is carried by this drum and is in constant mesh with a small beveled gear 32 which is fastened as at 33 to the stem 23 so that when the gears are rotated the screw 23 will also be rotated. A thrust bearing in the form of a block 3d can be mounted on sleeve 2li for engagement by the adjacent side of drum 3u at a point diametrically opposite to that where the two gears are in mesh.

An endless rope 35 is wrapped about the drum and is of such length as to extend approximately to the lower end of the ladder L when leg I is attached to the ladder.

As shown by broken lines in Fig. l, the leg I can be swung about its pivot 8 so as to extend along lines substantially parallel with leg I, this action being eiected by rotating the drum so that screw 22 will draw *the nut I9. downwardly toward sleeve 2li. Normally no ladder is attached to the holder.

When it is desired to use the holder for supporting a ladder, for example, on a roof having a high pitch, the two upper rungs R of the ladderlL are clamped to the leg I as heretofore explained. The ladder is then used as a means for pushing the ladder support upwardly along the roof Vuntil the offset portion 6 is adjacent to and above the edge of the roof. This operation can `all be carried on from the lower edge of the roof which is readily accessible toV the user. After the holder reaches the position stated, the user, still at the lower edge of the roof, can operate the rope 35. to revolve drum 35i in one direction. This will cause the gears to rotate screw 22 and push the nut IS upwardly. This obviously results in swinging the leg 1 downwardly so that the holder will thus be brought into position where it will straddle theridge and rmly support the ladder L where it can be used safely by the workman.

VShould it be desired to use another ladder on the other side. of the roof., the workman, while located adjacent to the ridge, canv lower a second ladder into position where the twoupper rungscan drop into the slots II. Rod IZ is then swung downwardly and fastened. Thus work can be. carried on at both sides of the ridge simultaneously.

The ladder L can easily be removed by reversing theV operation heretofore described and after such removal the workman can return to the lowerV edge of the roof and, by operating the rope, can cause the leg 'I to swing upwardly to the dotted line position shown in Figure l whereuponthe ladder support can be slid downwardly along the roof and subsequently detached from the ladder L.

By constructing the two legs as described it is possible to slide the support upwardly-and downwardly on the roof without injuring the exposed surface thereof, the offset portion 6 at the pivot end of leg I having the effect of a runner which will travel readily over small obstructions on the roof such as the edges of shingles, etc.

While this toolis designed primarily for roof work it is to be understood that it can be used in many places Where it is desired to hold a ladder safely at its upper end. For example it could be used for hanging a ladder vertically from a wall. A further use would be tofasten a ladder on a roof as heretofore described and utilize the lower projecting end of the held ladder as a means for supporting a swing stage such as used by house painters.

The structure is quite simple, can be made at low cost, and is easily transported and adjusted as will be apparent.

What is claimed ls:

1. A ladder support including pivotally connected legs, means for attaching one end portion of a ladder to one of the legs for use as a support-handling device, cooperating means on the legs for adjusting the legs angularly relative to each other and for holding them against relative movement in any direction, and means adjacent to the other end portion of the ladder for operating the leg-adjusting means.

2. A ladder support including a main leg, an adjustable leg pivotally mounted between its ends on the main leg and positioned to swing toward or from the main leg, means for attaching a ladder to the main leg for use as a supporthandling device, a screw having a swivel connection with the main leg, a nut pivotally carried by one end portion of the adjustable leg and engaged by the screw, and means for operating the screw to shift the nut and swing the adjustable leg relative to the main leg,

3. A ladder support including a main leg, an adjustable leg pivotally connected betweenY its ends thereto, means for attachingV a ladder to the main leg, a drum mounted on the main leg, means for rotating the drum, and means operated by the drum when rotated for swinging the adjustable leg relative to the main leg.

4. A ladder support including a main leg, an adjustable leg pivotally connectedl between, its ends thereto, means for attaching a ladder to the main leg, a drum mounted on the main leg, means for rotating the drum, and means operated by the drumwhen rotated for swinging the adjustable leg relative to th-e main leg, said last named means comprising a screw, a swivelY connection between the screw and the main leg, a nut pivotally supported in the adjustable leg and engaged by the screw, and meshing gearscarried by andA rotatable with the drum and screw respectively.

5. The combination with a ladder, of a` support connectedV to one end thereof, saidI support including a main-` legrhaving an offset end, an adjustable leg pivotally mounted between its ends upon said offset end, a sleeve pivotally connected to the main leg, a screw swiveled therein, a gear connected to the screw, a nut carried by the adjustable leg and engaged by the screw, a drum, a gear rotatable with the -drumand meshing with the rst named gear, and means engaging the drum and extended along the ladder f or rotating the drum.

6. The combination with a ladder, of` means connected to oneend'thereoffor supporting the ladderV from4 the ridgeof a roof or the like, said means including angularly adjustable legs, means for connecting one ofthe legs to the ladder, com,- bined adjusting and holding means connecting the legs, and means operable along the ladder for shifting one ofthe legs into or out `of ridgestraddling position.

`CLAIR W. MARRINER. 

